Southwood Lutheran Church

HEAR it on Sunday. USE it on Monday.

On Sunday Pastor Michael shared a story he heard Friday morning on National Public Radio. You can listen to his sermon here. A story that brought new meaning to Jesus' command - "If someone takes the shirt off your back, give him your coat as well." Matthew 5:38-42.

The story is called "A Victim Treats His Mugger Right" - if you didn't hear it, take a moment and read that story - you can find it by clicking here. Essentially, the victim of a mugging treats his assailant to dinner and walks away with the weapon in his own hand.

What does it mean to treat people with the compassion that Jesus commands us? In what ways does this challenge your understanding of following Jesus?

**This is a new weekly feature. You will find it each Monday Morning on our blog. Each week you can come here to find tools and resources to help you incorporate the things you hear in worship on Sunday to your daily walk of faith during the rest of the week. You will find a variety of scripture readings, questions, illustrations, prayers, and stories; they all connect to the themes from Sunday's worship. Hear it, Use it, GROW!

My Morning Tea!

Check out this picture. This morning my cup of tea was situated just right so that the label on the end of the string was suspended in mid-air. While I'm pretty sure that there is a perfectly good and scientific reason for this event, nonetheless it was a reminder to me to be watchful for the work of the Holy Spirit.

In the same way, I know that when God moves in my life I can't quite explain it, but it is always worth taking note of.

I hope you have reminders throughout your day of God's constant presence.

Pastor Sara

What is your “Song Story”?

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:19-20 NIV)

What is your “song story”? The hymn tells us “Good Christian friend rejoice and Sing!” Singing is an important way of sharing our faith stories. Songs have a way of getting into our head and not letting go of us. They have a way of allowing us to express or experience feelings that aren’t easily expressed in other ways. Even hearing certain songs can bring to mind places and people in our past. These songs don’t just live in our minds—they work their way into our hearts, into our lives and even into our beliefs.

Some songs find their way into our hearts because of a powerful message that stays with us. The song, “Be Still and know” is meaningful to a friend because it reminds her that when things aren’t going well, she needs to be still and recall that God is God and she is not, that whatever is going on, God has it under control. Other songs have more personal meanings. The hymn “Children of the Heavenly Father” was sung at my grandmother’s funeral. Singing that hymn reminds me of her and that “neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord his children sever.” “Song stories” help us see how the Spirit worked and continues to work in our hearts. We can see how our life’s journey has been shaped by the words of Scripture and the words of songs relaying the truths of Scriptures. Is there a song that has special meaning for you? Think about why it became important to you and then, if you like, let me know your “song story.” I’d love to hear it!

Good Christian friends Rejoice and sing
Now is the triumph of our King
To all the world Glad news we bring
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

The Lord of life Is risen this day
Death’s mighty stone is rolled away;
Let all the earth rejoice and say
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Praise we in songs of victory
That love, that life Which cannot die
And sing with hearts Uplifted high
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Your name we bless O risen Lord
And sing today with one accord
The life laid down The life restored
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

A 28 part Blog!

This is the beginning of a blog post that will have 28 parts. Yes. 28 blog posts all on the same topic. Its called: A blog in 28 Acts.

Here's why: I think we sometimes get tricked into thinking that Easter is the end of the story. The story that began with Jesus' birth at Christmastime, now concludes with the death and resurrection at Easter. Not so, Easter is not the end its just the beginning.

Think about it - the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ began with a few out of breath disciples screaming "He is Risen!" "He is Risen!" "He is Risen!" Can't you picture them jumping around and screaming those important Gospel words to anyone who will listen.

But then, someone who didn't know the story would have said - "Who is risen?" Well, the disciples said: "Jesus of Nazareth." Then you can just hear it, those disciples backing up and telling the rest of the story. Jesus, he was born at Christmas in a humble manger, he was baptized, he preached, he taught us, he was crucified, and now - HE IS RISEN!!!

Easter is the beginning of the story . . . everything else gets us to Easter. So, what happened next? Those same out of breath and overjoyed disciples began to proclaim that good news to anyone who would listen. They began to preach and teach and heal in Jesus' name. They baptized those who believed and their families and the Followers of Christ became the Christian church.

And the story still continues with us today. The words and activities of those first disciples who continued to tell and create the story after Jesus' resurrection are recorded in the book of Acts. In order to be a part of that continuing story we're going to read the book of Acts during the next 7 weeks and keep asking the question - How does this help me to tell the story of Jesus?

I hope you will join us in this 28 part blog post. You will find posts here each Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. You can also click on the category link in the right column to take you to all the posts in this "28 Acts" category.

The first post will come on Tuesday, April 1st. Be sure to check out the post and add a comment - and be a part of this virtual Bible Study.

"He is Risen." Go and tell the story!

Pastor Sara

Live Holy Week: Easter Sunday

Read Mark 16:1-8

Remember all those things of the past week? Now they’ve all been forgiven and wiped away. Those you hurt and those who hurt you are reconciled. The Easter Power is real and live-able. Don’t just remember Easter – live it!

Something strange happened. Just when everything was lost, all hopes dashed, there came a spiritual awakening. A new Kingdom began by God’s own doing. Jesus really was the Warrior-King like David - the greatest for all time King. Fear, sin and the threat of death haven't gone away, but their power over us is gone. Jesus’ way is a way that lives free in God’s Kingdom while living on an earth where most still live in fear. But now a new message of hope, faith and love overtakes us. The foundation of the new Kingdom of the heart and mind is here. Christ is victorious!

God's Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. It's a Kingdom of the heart, unseen yet infinitely powerful. Jesus has unleashed this new Kingdom in our world, and there is no stopping it. Throughout the 2000 years since Jesus died, thousands of countries and cities have been destroyed, yet the Kingdom of God living in the hearts of those who trust God in Christ Jesus not only survives but it thrives. About 300 years after the Roman Empire’s political machine killed Jesus, the Emperor became Christian. That didn’t happen by the weapon or the sword. It happened through the care of one another. We must each and together reach out to one person at a time. There is hope. There is newness at every death. There is freedom to be despite what others might do to you. Christ rose! He rose indeed!

Almighty God, you raised Jesus from the dead and have given us hope beyond hope. All that afflicts us -- our sorrows, the negative voices inside, hurtful voices outside, our cycles of sin -- all of these will not get the better of us. You have given us the way, the truth and the life through Christ. We have each other to lean on. We care for others and let them care for us. Together down the road of admitting wrongs, facing cycles of sin, finding a new path and trusting in Your forgiveness, we are set free more and more each day. All of this happens because of the cross of Christ. Let Your joy fill us this Easter. Amen.

Pastor Michael

Acts: Being the Church Today

We’ve just celebrated the most amazing event that ever happened, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Can you imagine what it must have been like for those first followers of Christ? They saw him die, they saw him raised from death, and they saw him ascend into heaven in glory. And it didn’t end there. As they gathered, his promised Holy Spirit filled them in such a way that they began to proclaim the good news to all who would listen.

This is how the book of Acts begins. Peter begins to preach the Good News to everyone . . he says: “for the promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are far off.” Soon, Paul joins the ministry, and thousands of people are living a new life.

Somehow our modern day post-Easter experience seems much less significant. How do we capture some of this Holy Spirit? How do we live with the passion and drive of those first followers? How do we really be the church in the world today that Jesus intended us to be? These are some of the questions we’ll tackle over the next 7 weeks in Adult Sunday School and on Southwood’s blog. Be sure to join this journey through the book of Acts and see how God’s Spirit moves you in new ways.

Adult Sunday School – Being the Church Today – 9:45 a.m. March 30 – May 18.

A Blog in 28 Acts – Starting on Tuesday, April 1st we’ll blog on 4 chapters in Acts each week. Be a part of this virtual journey through Acts, and be sure to add your comments or questions to enrich the discussion.

Look Beyond Devotion ~ March 23 ~ Easter

Your boasting about this is terrible. Don't you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old "yeast" by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Reflect: Today we celebrate the resurrection of the Lamb who was sacrificed for our sins. We are called to keep this Festival every day. Am I committed to doing so?

Pray: Jesus, I praise and thank you for your life, death and resurrection. Give me a special measure of your risen Spirit so that I can live with sincerity and truth. Amen.

Link of the Week: Consumed

Do you ever feel like you run out of day before you run out of stuff to do? Or run out of money before you run out of places to spend it? How can you keep from being consumed by the demands and desires of our culture?

I tried out this Consumed Calculator. You answer questions about how you allocate your time and money, and you get a pie chart with your results.

My estimates of time are remarkable for their inaccuracy...I accounted for 208 hours per week -- there are only 168 hours in a week. That's 40 hours I think I spend that don't exist. Either I'm an incredible multi-tasker...or I need to look more carefully at how my time (and life) is being consumed!

Rick and I just did a budget for our family so I had a pretty good idea of what our expenses are. My top 4 categories for spending were:

1. housing
2. saving
3. charity
4. taxes

I did a little guessing, and fair warning, seeing the results after you've guessed might inspire you to get a better handle on where your money's actually going! (check out our Good $ense course for help with that).

Kim

Live Holy Week: Saturday

Mark 15:42-47

Remember a time when you suffered a great loss, a death, a job, an image of yourself? What happens when you feel the pain of loss?

It was custom to bury before the Sabbath. It was late Friday afternoon when Jesus died, the first day. At sunset, the next day would begin, not at sunrise as our days begin. Our Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath when no work is to take place. The Sabbath from Friday evening until Saturday evening would be the second day. Our Sunday, when we celebrate Easter, counts as the third day.

Joseph of Arimathea may be another device by Mark to bring to mind an Old Testament story starting in 1 Samuel 1:1. “Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim” is most likely Arimathea in Jesus’ time. A person who knew the Old Testament in Jesus’ day would immediately think of the entire story in 1 Samuel. This story in 1 Samuel begins their history of how God brought the Kingdom of David into existence, making them a nation as promised to Abraham thousands of years earlier. The story begins with tears and pleading prayers to God. Tears, pleading prayers and trust in God are what founded the Kingdom of David. The glory of victory on the battle field isn’t what makes a people come together. Trust in God and suffering service makes for a country or kingdom.

If you put two and two together this says, Jesus brings in a new Kingdom through his deep suffering, tears and prayers. His tears on the Mount of Olives, his deep prayers and his death by total trust in God is the real power that subdues enemies and brings a lasting peace and Kingdom that has no end.

At the death of Jesus, the people suffered a great loss. Everything they had hoped for was gone. They wanted a God-Warrior to save them from their enemies, a return to the good old days of King David. David was the great warrior on earth who paved the way for the Kingdom to grow. They thought Jesus would be that King when the Warrior-God destroyed their enemies. Now all of that was dashed and trampled into the ground. They were utterly shattered. Jesus is dead. The world goes on, lost in its endless cycles.

Have you suffered a recent great loss in the past year? Sometimes it comes out of the blue, sometimes it’s expected. Never does it come easy. We feel hurt, loneliness, disappointment, anger and bitterness. When this happens, all we can do is cry, plead to Go, and trust that something new will arise again.

Lord God, you know loss is a part of life. You invite us to die to ourselves so we may arise in newness with you. When the pain of loss comes, it hurts, we try to deny it, we become angry. Stay with us in our losses whether it be a job, pet, or significant person. Stay with us with Your listening ear until we come to accept the loss. Give us hope that something new will come. Amen.

Pastor Michael

Look Beyond Devotion ~ March 22

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins-and not only our sins but the sins of all the world...This is real love-not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 2:1-2 and 4:10-12

Reflect: Am I letting these words sink deeply into my soul?

Pray: Thank you, Father, for loving me and forgiving my sins for Jesus' sake. Help me love you and others in return. Amen.